I'm changing the focus of this thread to encompass all my traditional efforts, so I don't end up sprawling all over the board. If you have any helpful comments or crits about any of the images you find here, please don't hesitate

Done as per instructions for a section of the Sheridan drawing reqs. I'm following them as a way to test myself. I'd ask that you forgive my miserable scanner, some of the finer lines have been lost.

I was wondering if I could get some rendering advice. The drawing is fairly clean right now, and I don't want to muck it up. Should I go for minimalist crosshatching, or a more full on rendering (ie http://www.goodbrush.com/cpg146/albums/drawings/wetstreet.jpg) The problem is, I don't even know what a decently rendered pencil building sketch looks like. Anyone have any thoughts? I think I'd almost be more comfortable light boxing and water coloring than taking a pencil to this thing, but then there's the thought of pulling a full paint set out in the middle of a public place and going at it... I'm not that brave yet.

also, when they say to "do a sketch of a historic building freehand", does freehand imply no ruler, cause I obviously used a ruler here...

If I do lightbox and re-render, do you think that construction lines should be brought through to the final full strength, partially de-emphasized, or omitted completely?

Last edited by FallDamage on Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:52 am; edited 3 times in total

Just pulled out the pencils myself so was glad to see your drawing. :) I take "freehand" to mean pencil and paper only (no ruler). Re a "decently rendered pencil sketch", searching "perspective drawing" in Google Images turns up about 300,000 images (in a huge variety of styles). If there's uncertainty in your freehand lines (I realize they're just placeholders) developing an eye for precision and tighter (or looser) pencil control might be a good idea...

Heh, yea, I clued into freehand a little too late. I loosely interpreted that as meaning like, no 3d overlays or projection stuff, as in, blatent cheatery. Looks like I'll have to do something else, which is kind of a pain in the but.

I hear what your saying about tighter control, but that's got to be a matter of training and focus, I'm afraid. I'm having the same problem with my cross hatching on pen and marker sketches.

In the first one, why is the top vanishing point to the right? It seems a bit unconventional, since your primary VP is on the left, and that's where the eye seems to be being lead anyway.

For tips on traditional rendering techniques, I'd recommend a book by Sid Delmar Leach:
"Techniques Of Interior Design Rendering And Presentation". I chanced upon it at my school's library, it seems to be a well-rounded introduction to architectural/structural sketching, and has a lot of info on tools to use, hatching and wash techniques etc.